The territory’s MLAs will be marking the Yukon’s 125th anniversary of the territory joining the Canadian confederation with a special sitting of the Yukon Legislative Assembly in the historic gold rush town.
The special sitting will be held in the original territorial council chamber in the Old Territorial Administration Building, which now houses the Dawson City Museum, in Dawson City at 1 p.m. on June 13.
A release from the Yukon Legislative Assembly states the purpose of the special sitting is to commemorate the establishment of the Yukon. As part of the ceremonial program, legislators will debate a motion honouring the history and heritage of the land and people of the Yukon.
Dawson City was the capital and seat of government in the territory until Whitehorse became the capital in 1953, and this special sitting marks the sixth time the assembly has returned to its original chamber in Dawson City, per the release.
The release outlines the history of special sittings.
Special sittings were held to mark the territory’s 75th and 100th anniversaries in 1973 and 1998, as well as in 1977 to honour Dawson City’s Diamond Jubilee, in 1998 to celebrate the completion of the refurbished chambers and in 2009 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first wholly elected territorial council.
A release from the executive council office provides the wording of the motion to be commemorated and debated:
-That the speaker of the Yukon Legislative Assembly forward the following address to the people of Yukon:
-Whereas June 13, 2023, is the 125th anniversary of the establishment of the Yukon Territory in Canada; and
-Whereas Yukoners value the history and heritage of the land and its peoples;
-Now therefore be it resolved that the Yukon Legislative Assembly acknowledges and celebrates the history and heritage of the land, its peoples and the lives, traditions, and cultures of all Yukoners past and present and pledges to continue to improve the lives of all Yukoners for generations to come.
The proceedings will be broadcast on the Dawson City local radio station at 106.9 FM.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com
